Early Years Transitions That Strengthen School Starts

Early Years Transitions: Moving from nursery into Reception is one of the most significant school transitions in a child’s early education. It represents the moment when a child enters the school system, begins forming new relationships with adults and peers, and encounters new routines, expectations and environments. For schools and nurseries, this transition has both emotional and practical dimensions. For children, it shapes their early sense of belonging, security and curiosity. For families, it marks an important milestone one that often comes with mixed feelings of pride, excitement and anxiety. 

Despite its importance, transition practice across local authorities, nurseries and schools can be inconsistent. Information arrives in different formats, at different times, with varying degrees of usefulness. Some Reception teams receive extensive documents with little actionable insight; others receive minimal information at all. And yet, we know that when transition processes are coherent, relational and child centered, children settle quicker, feel more secure, and engage more confidently with early learning. 

Pupil Pathways is designed to support exactly this kind of transition: not by dictating practice within classrooms or telling schools how to structure their induction, but by improving how information travels between nurseries, families and Reception teams. Our focus is simple: better insights, stronger partnerships, smoother transitions. 

This article explores what children need developmentally during transitions, what information is most helpful for Reception teachers, how schools can collaborate effectively with nurseries and families, and what a clear, one page child profile should include. 

As explored in “It takes a village to raise a child”, strong collaboration between families, early years providers and schools creates the conditions in which children feel secure, understood and ready to learn. This collective approach reflects the core principle behind Pupil Pathways, that meaningful relationships and shared insights form the foundation of successful early years transitions.

1. What EYFS to Reception Transitions Require Developmentally

A strong transition is grounded in an understanding of child development. Four and five year olds are not simply “small school aged children”; they are learners who depend on secure relationships, predictable routines and rich opportunities for play and communication. When entering Reception, children need continuity, coherence and a sense of safety as they navigate new environments. 

This developmental perspective is central to an evidence-informed approach to early education. In “An evidence-based approach to supporting children in the preschool years – a response from Pupil Pathways”, the importance of grounding transition practice in research on child development, emotional security and early learning is explored in more depth. Evidence shows that when early years support is shaped by developmental understanding, children experience greater continuity, improved wellbeing and stronger engagement as they move into Reception.

Children Need Familiarity and Predictable Relationships 

Young children learn best when they feel secure. Transition processes that prioritise early, warm contact such as home visits, nursery visits, or opportunities for children to meet key adults support this emotional security. Children do not necessarily remember the content of these interactions, but they internalise the feeling of being welcomed and recognised. An adult saying, “I know you like building towers” or “Your grandma told me about your favourite story book” can completely shift how a child walks into their new classroom on the first day. 

Children Need Continuity in Communication and Expectations 

Transition is not about replicating nursery provision in Reception, but about ensuring children recognise familiar rhythms. The language used to frame expectations tidy-up cues, visual routines, simple instructions, emotional regulation prompts help children orient themselves quickly. Reception teams benefit from knowing what children already understand and respond to, particularly when it comes to communication, comfort strategies, and routines that help them feel grounded. 

Children Need Space to Continue Learning Through Play 

Play remains a core mechanism for learning at the beginning of Reception. Well designed transitions recognise this and avoid sudden shifts toward formality. Secure children explore; anxious children withdraw. When teachers understand what sparks a child’s curiosity, which materials they gravitate toward, or what helps them persist in play, they can create experiences that feel both new and familiar. 

Children Need Adults who Understand their Emotional Regulation Strategies 

Separation can be challenging even for confident children, particularly after long summer breaks. A strong transition ensures Reception teachers know: 

• Whether a child finds separation difficult 

• Which strategies help them regulate 

• How they typically express emotions 

• What comforts them during moments of overwhelm 

This kind of knowledge does not require multipage reports; it requires clear, concise insights, the kind Pupil Pathways is built to capture. 

2. What Information helps Reception Teachers Most in Early Years Transitions

Reception teachers consistently tell us the same thing: what helps them most is not volume of information, but its clarity. They do not need long narrative assessments or detailed tracking histories; they need a practical snapshot of who the child is and how best to support them from day one. 

Pupil Pathways structures information around the following key principles: 

Information Should Be Strengths Based 

Reception teams want to know: 

• What does this child love? 

• What motivates them? 

• What are they proud of? 

• What play themes or schemas do they return to? 

Strengths-based information creates immediate opportunities for connection and purposeful engagement. 

Information Should be Relevant to Early Settling 

Reception teachers benefit from knowing: 

• Separation confidence 

• Emotional regulation strategies 

• Social interaction patterns

• Communication needs 

• Any sensory considerations 

• Which adult prompts work well 

These insights enable teachers to plan their room setup, anticipate hotspots, and build relationships more intentionally. 

Information Should Support Communication and Language 

Early language development is central to how well children access learning. Teachers value clear notes on: 

• Home language(s) 

• The child’s typical ways of communicating 

• Any speech or hearing considerations 

• Prompts that successfully extend their language 

Even a short note such as “responds well to choice questions” can shape classroom practice 

Information Should Help Teachers Understand the Family Context 

Families play an enormous role in children’s confidence and adjustment. Teachers benefit from knowing: 

• Cultural or religious routines that matter to the family 

• Communication preferences 

• Information on who the child is closest to at home 

• Successful bedtime, morning or transition routines 

This helps ensure that school supports children in culturally responsive, family aligned ways. 

Early Years Transitions Information Should be Concise, Consistent and Usable 

The challenge many schools face is inconsistency: each nursery sends different formats, different lengths, and different levels of detail. A Pupil Pathways transition portal, StepIntoSchool profile solves this by establishing one shared format that all nurseries and families can use. 

This reduces workload for nurseries, ensures equity across feeder settings, and gives Reception teams a predictable, fuss free transition process, and effective information sharing is one of the strongest predictors of a smooth start to school. As discussed in “Why Early Information Sharing Matters for a Smooth Nursery to Reception Transition”, timely, structured communication between nurseries, families and schools enables teachers to respond more effectively to children’s needs from the very first day. When information is shared early and consistently, schools can plan environments, build relationships and reduce uncertainty for children and families alike.

3. Partnering Effectively with Nurseries and Families

High quality transitions are built on partnerships professional and relational. But partnership does not mean time intensive meetings or complex moderation processes. It means clarity, communication and shared understanding of what matters. 

Partnership with Nurseries 

Nurseries know the child deeply. They understand the child’s cues, stressors, social patterns and interests in ways that only months of consistent caregiving can provide. 

Effective school nursery partnership includes: 

• Agreeing what information is most helpful 

• Sharing insights rather than assessments 

• Using consistent formats (like the pupil profile in the StepIntoSchool transition portal) 

• Maintaining open lines for clarification where needed 

This does not require long meetings; a shared profile does most of the work. 

Partnership with Families 

Families bring equally important knowledge: 

• Their child’s lived routines 

• Languages spoken at home 

• Cultural expectations 

• What comforts, motivates or worries their child 

• What they hope the school will understand 

When families feel involved in transition, their children feel more confident too. Tools that invite families to contribute in simple, intuitive ways without paperwork overload create more equitable and trusting relationships from the start. 

Children as Partners: Listening to the Pupil Voice 

Even at four years old, children communicate their preferences, perceptions and expectations of school. Simple prompts such as: 

• “What are you excited about?” 

• “What would help you feel brave?” 

• “What do you hope your new teacher knows about you?” 

can reveal meaningful insights. Including these in a child’s transition profile validates the child’s experience and gives teachers a direct pathway into early relationship building. 

4. Sample One Page Child Profile Fields for Early Years Transitions

A shared, one page child profile is the heart of the Transition portal, StepIntoSchool process. It keeps insights focused, usable and strengths driven. Below is an outline of recommended fields adaptable to any local authority, but anchored in what Reception teachers consistently find most valuable. 

EYFS → Reception: One Page Child Profile (StepIntoSchool) 

Child Details 

• Child’s Name / Preferred Name 

• Date of Birth 

• Home Language(s) 

• Key adults (nursery and family) 

1. Strengths & Interests

• Preferred play themes / schemas 

• Favourite materials or areas (e.g., construction, outdoor, creative) 

• Topics or activities that spark curiosity 

2. Communication & Language

• Expressive/receptive communication notes 

• Hearing or speech considerations 

• Successful prompts (e.g., visual cues, choices, modelling) 

• Words or phrases in home language that help connection 

3. Personal, Social & Emotional Development

• Separation confidence 

• Emotional regulation strategies that work 

• Typical peer interactions (initiates play, prefers parallel play, etc.) 

• Known triggers (noise, transitions, busy spaces) 

4. Learning Behaviours

• Attention patterns (carpet time, small groups, independent play) 

• Independence skills (toileting, dressing, tidying) 

• Fine and gross motor notes 

• Persistence or confidence indicators 

5. Health, SEND & Professionals

• Diagnoses or ongoing assessments 

• External agencies (SALT, OT, EP) 

• Adjustments already effective in nursery 

6. Family & Culture

• Key routines or family practices 

• Festivals or celebrations important to the child 

• Preferred communication methods (call, text, translation needs) 

7. Notes for the First Four Weeks

• Strategies likely to support settling 

• Key adults the child may bond with 

• Any early considerations for planning or grouping

Conclusion 

A successful transition from nursery to Reception is not defined by the number of events held, the complexity of induction schedules, or the volume of documents exchanged. It is defined by the quality of relationships and the clarity of information that travels with each child. When nurseries, families and schools share one clear, consistent, strengths based picture of the child, the first weeks of school become calmer, more welcoming and more predictable for everyone involved. 

Pupil Pathways Transition Portal, StepIntoSchool supports this process not by prescribing pedagogy or imposing new transition models, but by strengthening the handover itself. With the right insights, Reception teachers can meet children where they are, build trust from the very first moment, and ensure every child feels seen before they even walk through the door.

For schools and early years providers looking to implement a structured and consistent transition process, further guidance is available in “StepIntoSchool: Information for Early Years Providers and Schools”. The resource explains how a shared transition framework supports clearer communication, reduces workload and ensures every child’s strengths, needs and experiences are understood before they begin school.